Thursday 25 April 2019

ANZAC Day


He looks so young.  My dad, newly enlisted in the army.  Before travelling to Singapore and becoming a POW.


At his last ANZAC Day in 2012, aged 93.

We attended the dawn service and I wore his medals with pride.


This year the service was special, as the eternal flame which has been alight since the War Memorial Carillon was built has been replaced with a new version.  The old gas powered flame was damaging the structure.


This is a photo of my Dad during the commemorations of 60 years since the end of  World War 2 , back in 2005, overlooking the old flame.  This featured in the local newspaper.


For the first time in a very long time we were invited to walk through the carillon to see the new eternal flame and lay rosemary sprigs at its base.


After the breakfast at the RSL Club Mick and I wandered over to have another look, once the crowds had disbursed.


It is a much different style flame, with electronic lighting and a modern plinth, but still very still very attractive and should enable the flame to persist for many years to come.

LEST WE FORGET



2 comments:

Fiona said...

A wonderful memorial. Thanks to your Dad for his service - must have been terrible as POW....
Hugz

Michelle Ridgway said...

What a handsome young man your Dad was. How horrendous his time as a POW must have been. So lovely that the flame can continue to burn into the future. Many thanks to your dear Dad for his service xxx